Wildcrafted Bitters with Ellen Zachos

We are excited to welcome Ellen Zachos, author of The Wildcrafted Cocktail, to Iowisota to teach us how to make bitters from foraged and wild ingredients. This hands-on workshop will be Thursday evening September 11th, 2025, and will include tastings accompanied by wild snacks.  

Programming Cost: $65/person for the 2.5-hour evening workshop, including the materials. Start registration by clicking the RSVP link; After you submit a registration, we will send you an invoice for payment. 

Location: In the Gathering Room at “Iowisota”, 2472 IA-26, Lansing, Iowa.

What to expect for the event: You will learn how to combine foraged, local, and seasonal flavors with your favorite spirits, to create wildcrafted cocktails. In this event, you will make your own cocktail bitters and taste several wild mocktails and cocktails. All materials will be provided. Linda and Ellen will be putting together some “wild” snacks to enjoy as you learn. A full meal will not be provided, so you may want to eat supper before you come.

Overnight “Bed and Breakfast” stay:  Additional $75/person/per night, or $100/room/night if there are more than one person sharing a room. Lodging taxes will be added. Breakfasts are included.

·        Stay in one of our 6 guest bedrooms, with all the modern amenities. Most rooms have queen or double beds, two have bunk beds. (See the accommodations tab on the website for information on all the rooms).

·        Iowisota is set in the midst of nearly 200 acres of private forest, with trails and nature all around. The sleeping rooms are a delightful blend of historic, rustic, and modern. The “gathering room” with its stone fireplace, expansive windows, and comfortable seating provides a place to hang out and chat with the hosts and other guests.

About the speaker/guest expert: Ellen Zachos is a Harvard graduate and the author of eleven books including Backyard Foraging: 65 Familiar Plants You Didn’t Know You Could Eat, The Wildcrafted Cocktail, and The Forager’s Pantry. She teaches foraging workshops across the US, and lectures at botanic gardens, flower shows, and for garden clubs around the world. Ellen’s background is in show business, which, combined with years of practical experience and plenty of book learning, gives her a unique and entertaining approach to teaching. After working as a gardener in NYC for many years, Ellen now lives in Santa Fe, NM. It is a rare treat to welcome Ellen to the Driftless Area for a class!

About your hosts: Linda and Dennis Haugen both recently retired from careers as forest health specialists with the US Forest Service. Linda grew up on the Iowisota property, moving here with her parents in 1968. Linda and Dennis built the new residence/retreat center and moved back to northeast Iowa in 2023. They have a wealth of knowledge about natural resources in general, and about the Iowisota property specifically.   

How to sign up and pay: Registration is limited to 20 participants. On-site accommodation is limited. Click the link for registration and then fill out the registration form. This will hold your space. Once you have completed the form, we will email you an invoice that you can pay by check, credit card, or PayPal.